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User blog:Ouroburos.TheNewSaurian/Pig Destroyer: Explosions in Ward 6
How goes it, everyone? I am Ouroburos! So.... A lot of things have happened to me over the course of these two years. Yeah, whatever... I'm not in the mood for explaining all that crap. But I'll tell you all what I AM in the mood for: grindcore. Grindcore has existed since the 1980s, with strong groups such as Napalm Death and Brutal Truth keeping the genre on its toes. With its provocative lyrical content, the notorious "microsongs", and chaotic sound, grindcore changed the overall feel of heavy metal... to me, that's how it is, anyway. Subgenres that would evolve from this included goregrind (can be described as a "somewhat technical, faster, and overly groteque approach to grind music") and even the ridiculous pornogrind sound (features nigh-incomprehensible vocals, a bit of groove, and sexual themes, hence the title). If there's one guy who's made it big in the contemporary grindcore scene, then that would be shredder Scott Hull. For the most part, he did his share of North American grindcore by being in at least two bands that did nothing to overshadow his presence: Pig Destroyer and Agoraphobic Nosebleed. His experimental guitar playing made him excruciatingly prominent, not to mention his flawless drum programming for ANb that got him the Top Spot on MetalSuck's Top 25 Drummers in Modern Metal list. However, I'm here today to merely review Pig Destroyer's debut full-length album, Explosions in Ward 6. For those who aren't aware (although you fuckers should be!), Pig Destroyer formed in 1997 as a three-piece band consisting of frontman JR Hayes, drummer John Evans, and driving force member.... YOU KNOW WHO!!! {*Ahem*} Explosions in Ward 6 was released under the now-defunct Reservoir Records in 1998. Most of the band's subsequent records would be through Relapse Records, home to a shitload of eclectic metal bands, later on. First off, badass name for a grindcore act. Second, I will say this right now: Holy. Hell. PD's first release is as crazy as grindcore can get. In the past, Napalm Death may have had Scum... but Jesus Christ on a pogostick! Explosions in Ward 6 is, summing it up, 18 tracks of relentless mayhem after relentess mayhem took a dump. Nearly every song doesn't go beyond a minute; with the exception of "Pixie", which is six minutes long. On top of that, Hull plays with the most downright perverted, fierce, malignant, and terrifying sounds that he can produce with his guitar. That's almost 100% insanity right there! In my opinion, the likes of Alex Webster, Kirk Hammett, Max Cavalera, and Erik Rutan? Every single one of them are Teletubbies in comparison to the genius who is Scott Hull! {*Raises "Flame War" shield*} I've been prepared for this since Day One... Vocalist Hayes is no laughing matter, also. His screaming has a real psychotic and angry edge to it that gives Seth Putnam of AxCx ("Dying is gay") a run for his money! Lyrically speaking... His bastard knows how to write 'em. All of the tracks have an even creepier atmosphere because of the lyrics. Here's "Deflower"'s lyrical content; To enter your thoughts for just a few seconds as you pick their faith from your teeth. The obscene dance of your memories. What you touched and what you tore irreparably screams in the chambers on the cloth. In time perhaps something resembling guilt will devour you. Now look into that from a mastermind's perspective. David Lynch ain't got shit on JR Hayes, I'll say that much. You can tell his handiwork's far from atrocious! I have not too much to say about the drumming on this one other than it being exceptionally well and quite rapid. John Evans deserves props for how he fared... Brian Harvey perfected it, though, once he replaced him about a year later! Highlights? Kinda hard to pick out since Explosions in Ward 6 is such a brain-melting album for Pig Destroyer. Although I've enjoyed every song on this release, three of them stand out in my mind: "Tentacle", "Endgame", and "Alcatraz Metaphors". The final track on EiW6 is perhaps my least favorite of the bunch, but that might have more to do with its drawn-out length if anything else... You smell bias in it? Overall, this may have been Pig Destroyer's first album, but... I don't believe that. If this was their debut, then the structure and sound of it is head and shoulders over an average metal band's debut recording. Not only is the production tight, but PD did a number on grindcore with this in terms of aggression. Some might be put off by the abundance of microsongs and the overloading amount of chaos that Explosions in Ward 6, but that could be because those critics are gay and think bands such as Underoath and Avenged Sevenfold (The Rev: R.I.P.) deserve all the praise in the world! If you believe that these guys' later outings (Prowler in the Yard and last year's Book Burner being examples) are more to your liking, then more power to you. But if you really wanna start entering the "Pig Lair", just start off here! You have no idea what you're missing if you skip Explosions in Ward 6! Only one piece of criticism, however: the album cover looks pretty stupid except for the band logo, but you never EVER judge a book by its cover... Unless I tell you. I'm Ouroburos.TheNewSaurian, and I'll see ya later! Rating: **** 1/2 "I was frozen today!" 20:32, April 2, 2013 (UTC)User:Ouroburos.TheNewSaurian Category:Blog posts Category:Blog posts Category:Blog posts